Once you've heard Rekha Bhardwaj sing, there's no mistaking her for anyone else. Her voice, with its elements of Sufi and classical influences, lends a gently rough-hewn authenticity to even the glossiest Bollywood numbers. Under the wing of lyricist Gulzar and her filmmaker/composer husband Vishal Bhardwaj, she has blossomed into a National Award-winning songstress with real gravitas—but she's not afraid to shy away from the occasional raunchy item number, either. Our curators have selected the best from a colourful and varied career.